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Year's second Adopt-A-Highway cleanup coming

Fast facts:
- The second Adopt-A-Highway of the year is July 14-22.
- Adopt-A-Highway volunteers regularly collect more than 65,000 bags of litter annually.
- Sections of highway are still available to adopt. Go to www.michigan.gov/adoptahighway for more information.

July 9, 2018 -- Motorists should be on the lookout beginning Saturday as thousands of Adopt-A-Highway volunteers fan out along state roadways from Calumet to Kalamazoo picking up litter. Participants in the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) program will clean highway roadsides from July 14 to 22 during the second of three scheduled pickups this year.

Every year, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers regularly collect 65,000 to 70,000 bags of trash. The popular program began in 1990 and has grown to involve more than 2,800 groups cleaning 6,300 miles of highway.

Getting involved in the program is straightforward. Volunteers include members of civic groups, businesses and families. Crew members have to be at least 12 years old and each group must include at least three people. Groups are asked to adopt a section of highway for at least two years. There is no fee to participate. Adopt-A-Highway signs bearing group names are posted along the stretches of adopted highway.

When working in a highway right of way, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers wear high-visibility, yellow-green safety vests required by federal regulations. MDOT provides free vests and trash bags, and arranges to haul away the trash.

Sections of highway are available for adoption all over the state. Interested groups can get more information on joining the program at www.michigan.gov/adoptahighway.

Several landfills in southwestern Michigan are also chipping in to help the Adopt-A-Highway program. Westside Landfill in St. Joseph County, C&C Landfill in Calhoun County, Orchard Hill Landfill in Berrien County, Southeast Berrien County Landfill near Niles, and Republic Services Gembrit Circle Transfer Station in Kalamazoo have all agreed to accept trash generated by the three annual AAH pickups at no charge. In exchange, these businesses will receive a sign recognizing their support.

The year's final Adopt-A-Highway pickup is scheduled for the fall, from Sept. 22 to 30.